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Marja Vongerichten is the host of a new PBS television series about Korean food and culture titled Kimchi Chronicles. It is scheduled to debut Summer 2011 with 13 episodes. According to the Kimchi Chronicles Facebook page, “Each episode will be a combination of eating extravaganza and picturesque travelogue with food serving as a vehicle to meet and celebrate the people, places and traditions of Korea.” The show will feature guest celebrities such as actor Hugh Jackman and actress Heather Graham. Along with the show, Marja is also working on publishing a Korean cookbook. Marja was born in Korea to a Korean mother and an American soldier. She was later adopted at the age of 3 by a Virginia family in 1979. Later in life, she reunited with her birth mother in New York. She was Miss District of Columbia Teen USA 1991 (as Marja Allen) and has worked as an actress and model. An interesting side note is that Marja’s husband is world renown chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. He will have a small role in the show as well. The couple currently reside in New York. As Kimchi Chronicles gets closer to being televised we hope to learn more about Marja and the show. We’ll be sure to keep you all posted. Here is video from the Kimchi Chronicles press conference in Seoul, Korea:
Here is a short video from SBS with Marja and her birth mother:
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 Marja and husband Jean-Georges Vongerichten Image courtesy of Chosun.com  Marja with actress Heather Graham at Kimchi Chronicles press conference Image courtesy of KoreaTimes.com  Kimchi Chronicles Image courtesy of Kimchi Chronicles Facebook |
Kimchi Chronicles with Marja Vongerichten
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17 Comments
I had the pleasure of working alongside Chef Jean-Georges serving his amazing food for one evening.Didn’t know of his reputation until my chef friend said,” You were working with Chef Jean-Georges!.” I was very impressed by his genuinely gracious and friendly demeanor.
So when I came upon his stunning wife Marja and their (I assume new) Korean cuisine program I was intrigued.
What a fantastic program! Such beautiful photography and food, and the chemistry between Jean-Georges and Maja is a show within a show. These two like cooking together.
Best of luck with the show. Looking forward to watching again.
You got me thinking Korea for my 50th birthday this year.
JJ
Marja,
You might remember from, we meet a while ago. One night at “G” lounge and you were with a friend.
Just wanted to give you my new info as I left Douglas Elliman (Real Estate)
Jim Strain 917-302-1828
Benjamin James Realty
120 W 21st
NY, NY 10011
212-645-4477 (O)
212-645-1123 (F)
I saw your show on TV the other day and I thought it was great and it reminded me to say Hello!
Miss Marja, your beauty could wral tbis hate filled world in a loving embrace and fill it’s sorrow with love and embrace..forever..
There are few more facts about Marja Vongerichten (nee Allen). Her biological father was an African American, which was the main reason why she got her dark complexion (not as ugly as many of us have thought). Her mother was a Korean woman named Bae Yeong-Ae (배영애/裵英愛), with Bae (배/裵) as the surname of her mother (see the video clip from YouTube called “Marja Vongerichten Interview with SBS News”). She was born in March 15th, 1976 (a hot, fire dragon) as Brenda Bae, but her name was changed to Marja Allen (Marja is actually a combined name of her foster mother Margo (mar) and her foster father James (ja)) after she was adopted by her foster parents. She now has a daughter named Chloe, who is now half French Alsatian, a quarter African American, and a quarter Korean. (I’ve seen the picture of Chloe in a book called The Kimchi Chronicles and she looks more like Israeli, southern Italian, or Portuguese.)
I love to cook and will always experiment with new dishes. I recently saw an episode of the Kimchi chronicles and could not stop salivating.
Please, when is your cookbook coming out? Please let me know by e mail if possible.
Respectfully yours, anxious and hungry.
I have seen your show on PBS several times. It is simply great! Your personality along with the loving and respectful relationship you have with your husband and your guest MAKE THE SHOW! Plus the Korean dishes are outstanding! You are the most beautiful Korean dish of course! Thanks to you my next cruise/trip will be to Korea!
Many blessings to you and yours.
HP
I dvr this show, it is great. Thank you for sharing yourself with us.
Casey Silva
Kimchi Cronicles introduces Korean culture and food with a lot of humor, respect and most importantly – very personal, emotional and proud touch by Marja. I know Hines Ward of NFA is half black/half Korean returned to his birthplace of Seoul, he donated $1 million USD to create the Hines Ward Helping Hands Foundation, which the AP called “a foundation to help mixed-race children like himself in South Korea, where they have suffered discrimination. Marja, though Kimchi Cronicles, is doing exactly the same thing. Proud black/Korean woman who’s putting herself forward for herself and others just like her. I love her!
hey GREAT show!!!!!! it was pretty cool..seeing Pusan again..Makli.. Soju..Kimchi..(important stuff for the 18 year old Marine) cant wait for the mandoo and the Bul-go-gi .. LOVED Korea.. even the darn mountains..
Your show is beautiful, interesting and educational–so enjoyable. Thank you — Good Job!!
A few years ago I tried Kimchi for the first time and loved it. It was a nice surprise to watch your show and discover more delicious kimchi dishes as well as other great Korean delicacies. Your family story behind Kimchi Chronicles is as beautiful as you are. Looking foward to next weeks episode!
Why didn’t we ever see her American parents? I thought that was sad, that they were excluded from the show.
Sawney, when the episodes come on, a picture of her American family is shown. The show is about Korea, so they focused on her Korean roots. Her American parents are not Korean.
Marja’s daughter is the spitting image of Jean Georges. She is a carbon copy of him!
I enjoy the show and it has made me want to try Korean food. However, I was disturbed that there was no representation from her AfricaAmerican side of the family shown or made mention. Her husband’s French side (brothers, neices and nephews) were showcasted as well as her Korean side. Is she ashamed? Weren’t Blacks her adopt parents? She found her birth mother, how about her birth father?
I wonder why the promo for this show acts like the host will be Mr. Jackman. He even says that each week cooking will be done in HIS kitchen. I could hardly wait to watch the show and was disappointed to find Marja instead of Hugh Jackman. Which leaves me wondering what is going on. Why a false promo?!
I just fell in love with you and jean george. my story is almost like you. my husband is also french. i love the kimchi chronicles. love you
Just saw my first episode of Kimchi Chronicles on tv! Fabulous! Fun! Foodilicious! Marja, your Korean is better than mine!
I can tell you are as beautiful in the inside as you are on the outside. Chloe is such a lucky girl to have such loving parents as you and Jean-Georges. Continued success in food, love and family…